Talia Blackthorne
'Talia Sabre '''is the wife of Titus Sabre, heir to the Tropics; she was born as the youngest child of Lord Arthur Blackthorne and his wife, Lady Alyssa Monmoth. Her fraternal twin brother is Jaster Blackthorne, Lord-Paramount of the Thunderlands. Through these connections, she has an unprecedented level of influence, independence and wealth, far more than is usual for an Aradian noble lady. She has a precocious relationship with her new family, showing caution around her husband and open rivalry with her sister-in-law, Attia Sabre. Only a select few individuals know that Talia has had a gift for sorcery since her childhood, a fact that she has been forced to hide for fear of persecution by the rules of House Blackthorne. Appearance and Character Talia is a striking, renowned beauty. Many claim that she takes after her grandmother Isabella, who was often said to be the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Her figure is tall, slender and elegant; she has an enticingly svelte waist and full breasts. She possesses the classic "Storm King" looks, with pale unblemished skin and vibrant scarlet hair that is long enough to flow down to her waist. Her eyes are a vivid blue, noted to be almost identical in color to her twin brother's. She garbs herself in fine-crafted Western-style gowns that incorporate both Blackthorne and Sabre coloring, along with expensive jewelry as befits her position. She occasionally wears a blackthorn rose woven into her hair, and is noted to prefer a particular lavender perfume. A highly intelligent young woman, Talia shows the makings of a skilled leader and politician. She is learned, quick-witted, and persuasive; she also lacks the greed for power and influence that is common among members of her family, and has been known to show compassion, kindness and generosity towards those who appear to be in need. Despite this she is noted to be very loyal to her less-than-moral family, and can become quite defensive when challenged on the subject. Talia is often noted to be a capable actor, able to convincingly hide her own feelings in the interest of courtesy. She is quite introverted, a loyal friend who prefers forming close bonds with select individuals rather than constantly immersing herself in social affairs. Despite this she is very capable when it comes to communicating with others, and is quite well-liked among the general public. Skills and Abilities Talia has received an advanced education; she is widely-read, speaks many languages and has an extensive knowledge of Aradian history. Her twin has noted in the past that she would make for a highly astute politician, should the need arise. Talia also possesses innate magical ability and shows talent as a self-taught, budding sorcerer. She is capable of commanding advanced Terramancy spells such as the creation of lightning with relative ease, a feat that has not been seen since the time of the ancient Storm Kings of old. History Talia is the secondborn daughter of the accomplished war hero, Lord Arthur Blackthorne, and Alyssa Monmoth. She was born in 996AE approximately five minutes after her brother, Jaster. She had a special affection for her older brother Gordon, and was later devastated by his death. She had a diffident relationship with Murtagh, who never showed her anything but disdain, and the young age at which Joanna left Griffin's Peak ensured that Talia never grew particularly close to her only sister. Talia always had a reckless, inquisitive personality and a desire to learn about the world around her. This occasionally led her to getting into trouble, usually getting her more cautious brother entangled with her. She was known to have a closer tie to Kavin Falmar than her brother, with romantic feelings towards him. She hoped to marry him one day, but due to his inferior societal position this was quashed. Talia also had an affinity with magic and spellcasting that she kept secret to all but her closest friends. The death of her mother upset her greatly, changing her outlook on life and affecting her dealings with other nobles. Initially upset by being forced to conform to the roles expected of a noble lady, she eventually succumbed to her teacher's pressure. She maintained a rebellious streak in secret by studying and practicing spellcasting, soon developing a fine proficiency in the magical arts. Recent Events Lord Arthur sent Jaster and Talia to Everglow City in 1014AE, with the hope of finding suitable marriages for both of them. Talia was matched with Titus Sabre, the heir to a new Southern family. Unfortunately this proved to be an unpleasant union for both parties, as the groom was a political reformist who despised the Blackthornes, while the bride lacked respect for her new family and secretly longed for an adventurous life outside wifely duties. At the wedding feast of her brother Jaster, Talia's father was slain by Sir Preston Knox, kickstarting a war between the two houses. Talia was forced to remain with the Sabres, though she was accompanied by the legendary knight Valar Druun who served as a guardsman and childhood friend Kavin Falmar who served as a confident. At one point she was lured into a meeting with Nestor Knox, and she covertly agreed to help him resolve the war peacefully in exchange for helping him. Talia was drawn deeper and deeper into the Bloodhawk's political web. When her brother seemingly died at the Riverford, Dominic took over as Lord and forcefully excommunicated her from all family dealings. Talia tried to fight for the cause of her fallen twin but it made no difference as her uncle checked her at every turn. While at the wedding of Casim Ludlow and Rivka Vennett, Talia discovered a long-buried conspiracy concerning the true nature of the demon attacks plaguing the realm, but was attacked by Jacques Blackthorne before she could discover more. Enraged by the Bloodhawk's son and his cruelty, Talia lost control of her magic and accidentally killed Jacques. For this she was accused of witchcraft and imprisoned for execution. Nestor visited her in her cell and revealed that he was not her ally, but was in fact working along with the Bloodhawk and Cardinal Steerpike in order to aid the demons in their conquest in exchange for their own personal gain. The still-living Jaster and his allies, now including Darius Black and his priest cousin Eustace, devised a plan to rescue Talia, succeeding in extracting her on her way to the gallows and transporting her to a getaway ship, spiriting her away to the Silkwood. Quotes ''"People often credit you for the things you say, Sir Preston, but people rarely congratulate you for the volume at which you say them..." '' ~ Talia to Preston Knox ''"So, in short, you mean to buy the loyalty of House Sabre...from House Blackthorne, the most wealthy family in the realm? I wish you luck, my lords. You have set quite an arduous challenge for yourselves." ~Talia to the Knoxes "They say power corrupts, but it seems that it truly takes a record amount of time for a newlymade Lord to vanish up his own arse." ~Talia playfully mocks her twin's egotism Family Category:IronParagon's Characters